Legend relates that in 711, a priest by name "Tokudo" of Hasedera in Nara Prefecture instructed two sculptors to carve a pair of Eleven-Headed Kan'non (Ekadasamukha in Sanskrit) statues out of a single block of camphor which
was felled from the forest behind the temple. After the pair of the statues
were made, Priest Tokudo dedicated one to Hasedera in Nara, and set the
other adrift at sea shore praying that may Kan'non help people who lived wherever it might reach. Twenty-five years later
in 736, it was washed ashore at the beach of Nagai, the other side of Kamakura
on the Miura Peninsula. Fusasaki Fujiwara, a court noble, picked up the statue and enshrined it at the present site
naming Priest Tokudo as the founding priest. Hence the Temple's assertion
that it was founded in 736.

A similar story was also introduced by Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), a.k.a. Yakumo Koizumi, a Greek-born Journalist and naturalized Japanese, in his book "Glimpses of an Unfamiliar Japan." He visited the Temple in 1894 and introduced the old tale concerning
the Temple's origin. The book is available at Project Gutenberg.

Historians do not necessarily support the
legend saying that Kan'non was first introduced into Japan during the Heian Period (794-1185), well
after the said statues were carved. In addition, nothing is referred to
about the Temple in Azuma-kagami, official epic-type records of the Kamakura Shogunate. Probably because of this obscure origin, the statue of Kan'non, the main object of worship of the Temple, is designated as neither a
National Treasure nor an Important Cultural Asset. Judging from the inscription
affixed to the Temple's bell reading 1264 as the year of make, one of the
oldest in Kamakura, it is certain at least that the Temple had existed
in the late Kamakura Period (1185-1333).

In the Edo Period (1603-1868), the Tokugawa Shogunate gave financial aids to the Temple in view of the popularity of, and people's devotion to theKan'non statue. The Temple has since been a member of the Jodo sect, the Tokugawa's favorite tenet, and popularly called Hase Kan'non (Hase {hah-seh} is name of the place). Besides, there are many other statues
and Buddhism-related objects preserved by the Temple.

Today's Hasedera is a popular attraction for the tourists. Sightseeing buses stop by here after or before visiting the Kotoku-in (Great Buddha), and the Temple has a spacious parking lot for those buses.
The entrance is like that of an amusement park. Once inside the Temple
grounds, the first thing you will see is a beautifully arranged garden
(Picture; top).

(1) Sentai-Jizo or One-Thousand Jizo
Along the flights of steps leading to the
Main Hall is a structure called Jizo-do, in which statues of Jizo Bosatsu, or Ksitigarbha-bodhisattva in Skt., are enshrined. There are countless
Jizo statuettes made of stone and placed near
here. They are called Sentai Jizo, meaning literally 'one thousand Jizo' and installed mostly for the aborted fetuses.
Jizo is believed to be a guardian deity of children, both alive and dead, including
stillborn babies and aborted fetuses. Grief-stricken parents who lost children
dedicate the statuettes and pray that the god may protect the poor little
ones wandering in the netherworld. Usually, the parents offer dolls and
baby clothes to the statuettes. (Picture; bottom)

(2) Amida-do or Amitabha Hall
Standing at the right (north) of Kan'non-do is Amida-do, wherein is enshrined a sedentary statue of Amida Nyorai (Amitabha in Skt.). It is 2.8 meters tall, so-called jo-roku or 1.6 jo, (jo is an old unit of length, approx. 3 meters),
which measures 4.8 meters if the statue stood
up. Amida is believed to reside in the Pure Land Paradise (Sukhavati in Skt.) in the far west and save all souls arriving at the moment of believers' death. Traditionally, Jodo sect temples enshrine Amida statues as the main object of worship. Not in the Temple.

Legend has it that the Amida statue here was fashioned for Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate, to ward off the evils as he reached the age of 42, an unlucky age for men. However, records show that it was made during the Muromachi Period. The statue is flanked by smaller satellites: At its left is MirokuBosatsu, or Maitreya-bodhisattva in Skt., and at its right is SeishiBosatsu, or Mahasthama-prapta in Skt. The Amida trinity (Sanzon in Japanese) here is different from the traditional ones, which are usually attended by Kan'non and Seishi Bosatsu.
Exactly when the statue was fashioned is not known. In light of the documents
that say it was repaired in 1412, the time of make is thought to be the
early part of the Muromachi Period.

Amida Nyorai here is popularly called 'Yakuyoke', meaning to ward off evils, and it is on the list of the Six-Amida Pilgrimage in Kamakura. Worshipers pray to Amida that they be protected specifically from
the evil fortune.

(3) Kan'non-do, or Main Hall (Picture; right)Once inside the hall, a gigantic and brilliant statue of Eleven-Headed Kan'non will look down visitors. Perhaps, it will take the first-time visitors
by surprise with its enormous size and brilliant golden color. It measures
9.18 meters tall, by far the largest wooden statue of Kan'non in Japan. Eleven-Headed means it has eleven additional heads on top of
the Kan'non's head; three in front, left and right respectively, one in center and
one in the rear, all have different looks. (The rear one is said laughing,
though we cannot confirm).

Unlike ordinary statues of Kan'non, this one here has a staff called Shakujo (Khakkhara in Skt.) in its right hand and
a vase with lotus flowers in its left. Normally,
Shakujo is a Buddhist staff held by Jizo Bosatsu. As a result of this uniqueness, the Kan'non statue of the Temple is called 'Hase style', and is listed on the 4th of the Bando, and 22nd of the Kamakura Thirty-Three Kan'non Pilgrimages. During the Edo Period in particular, the statue was greatly
venerated by the devout. Even today, quite a few pilgrims visit here and
worship the statue.

In 1964, the interior of the statue was inspected, and it was revealed
that the halo was repaired in 1485 and a famous Kamakura sculptor Ko-en
(1442-1529) by name took part in it. Ko-en is well known for carving the
Datsueba statue enshrined at En'noji.

Right in front of the Statue, a smaller Kan'non statue is installed. Overwhelmed by the main statue, this one seems like
a statuette. Most visitors may be surprised to know it is a life-size,
measuring as tall as 178 centimeters.

At the right-hand side of the hall is a sedentary statue of Priest Tokudo,
fashioned during the latter half of Muromachi Period. The style of this
93-centimeter-tall statue sitting on a chair looks very much like those
of Zen priests often seen at Zen temples.

Statue of Binzuru, or Pindola-Bharadvaja in Skt. Binzuru is the name of a priest and listed on the
top of the Sixteen Rakan (Arhat in Skt.)
or 16 disciples of Sakyamuni. Since his ancestors
were physicians, Japanese folklore tells
that the statue will cure one's decease if
he or she passes its hand over his bald head.

(4) Homotsukan or Treasure Hall
Adjacent to the main hall is the Temple's treasure hall, which was opened
in 1980, and renewed in April 2008 exhibits important objects associated
with Buddhism. Open from 9:00 to 16:00. (Closed on Monday, or Tuesday in
case Monday is a holiday). The following are the major objects on display:

Itabi{e-tah-be},or Stone TabletsItabi are like cenotaphs made with stone slab.
They were made for the repose of departed
souls in and after the mid Kamakura Period.
Engraved on the slab are mostly Sanskrit
letters expressing Amida. Some depict Gorinto (Five-element-stele) and Hokyo-into (Three-element-stele). The Temple has many of Itabi, and eleven of them are displayed here.
Most famous among them is the one measuring
266-centimeter long, on which a Hokyo-into is portrayed. It was uncovered in 1943 under
the ground where the current Eleven-Headed
Kan'non is installed. The inscription unveiled that it was made in 1308, the oldest
of its kind. Two largest are ICAs designated by Kamakura City.

Bell
The 167.6-centimeter-high bell, tells the inscription on it, was cast in
1264 by Sueshige Mononobe, the second generation of the Mononobes, a famous
family for bell-casting. It is the oldest artifact extant in the entire
Temple complex. Naturally, it is an ICA.

Kakebotoke or Hanging Disc Buddha
Most notable among the Temple's treasures
are, perhaps, Kakebotoke, or hanging Buddha image, namely bronze (or iron) discs on which Buddha
images are carved. The polished discs were used as mirrors in ancient days
and mirrors were the sacred objects of worship for Shinto.To be exact, mirror is one of the three Imperial Regalias that embody the legitimacy of the emperor. Thus, Kakebotoke is indicative of a typical example representing syncretism of Buddhism
and Shinto elements. In fact, they served as the object of worship both
in Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. The Temple has seven Kakebotoke, most of them have Eleven-Headed Kan'non images and are designated as ICAs., but on display in this hall are five. The other two are kept in other museums, one in the Kamakura Museum and the other at the Nara National Museum . Those are also ICAs. In contrast to Kakebotoke at other temples, those here are remarkably
large, measuring 70 to 80 centimeters in
diameter, almost double the regular size.
Three of Eleven-Headed Kan'nonKakebotoke were made in 1326, 1330 and 1331 respectively. When I visited NNM in August
2013, it was hosting "Special Exhibition. Faith in Form and Figure:
Encountering Buddhist Images", where I found two Kakebotoke of the Temple on display. NNM called them "Votive Plaque"in
English.

Bronze statue of Sho Kan'non, or Arya-avalokitesvara in Skt.
This sedentary statue made of bronze, 109
centimeters tall, is rather new and was
cast
in 1693.
A statue of Sho Kan'non at NMN.

Statue of NyoirinKan'non (Cintamani-cakra in Skt.)
The 46.6-centimeter-tall, sedentary statue
is relatively small in comparison with
other
statues in the Temple. Made of assembled
wood pieces during the Muromachi Period,
it has six arms like other Nyoirin Kan'non statues. Normally, each arm holds something in its hands, while the statue
here has nothing (all of them are lost) except for the one which holds
lotus flowers. Nyoirin Kan'non is believed to fulfill everyone's desire
and wishes be realized if worshiped full
of piety.
A statue of Nyoirin Kan'non at NNM.

Statue of DaikokutenDaikokuten, or Mahakala in Skt., was originally the deity of staple grains. Today,
it is generally believed as the God of Wealth. The statue wears a hood
and holds a bag filled with treasures on his left shoulder. In its right
hand, he holds a luck mallet. Letters inscribed in the back of the statue
indicates it was carved in 1412, the oldest Daikokuten statue in Kamakura. One of the Shichifukujin, or Seven Lucky Deities in Kamakura.
A hanging scroll of Daikokuten at MFA.

Thirty-Three Transformations of Kan'non
The other side of the second floor are
occupied
by the statues of thirty-three transformations
of Kan'non. According to the Lotus sutra, Kan'non can change herself into thirty-three forms to watch and succor all kinds
of suffering people. Here are all sets of colorful thirty-three statues,
all measuring more than one meter tall. The oldest one was made in 1543,
though most of them were fashioned in the mid-to-late 17th century. A complete
set of 33 Kan'non statues at one place can hardly be found. All are ICAs
designated by the City of Kamakura.

Note that the display arrangements in this
treasure hall changes from time to time.

(5)Daikokudo Hall
Adjacent to the Treasure Hall is this Daikokudo-hall wherein is enthroned a replica of Daikokuten upon the altar. The real one is displayed in the treasure hall as explained above. However, most of pilgrims making the circuit of Shichifukujin pilgrimage come over here to say a prayer
to Daikokuten, and after the prayer they receive temples' seal and signature in proof
of their visit.

(6) Kyozo or Sutra Storehouse
Next to the Daikokudo Hall stands the scripture house. All scriptures
covering Mahayana Buddhism called Issaikyo, or Tripitaka in Skt., are kept in the revolving repository. Issaikyo (also called Daizokyo) has 100 volumes with 900 pages each, all in Chinese. (Recently, Buddhist
professor and his group in Japan have completed translation of all the
scriptures into English. It took them 17 years to finish up.) If you turn
the repository around, so reads the explanation, you would be given the
same virtue as you would get by reading all of the Issaikyo. Many visitors are turning it probably just
for fun.

(7) Benten-kutsu
At the north corner of the lower level over
the pond is a red torii gate, which is the entrance to the cave
called Benten-kutsu. Worshipers buy candle sticks and put them
on the altar after lighting, and start a
short pilgrimage inside the cave stooping
to enter. In addition to the Bentenstatue, there are sixteen statues engraved on the wall, all of them are followers and messengers of Benten. Benten (also called Benzaiten), or Sarasvati in Skt., is the Goddess of Eloquence, Music and Wisdom.
As the torii gate indicates, this is an example of merging
Buddhism with Shinto. Sarasvati in Buddhism
was fused with Ugafuku of Shinto. Zeniarai Benten is an independent shrine dedicating to Ugafuku with the name of Benten.

Note:
With respect to Jizo statuettes, which are mostly for aborted fetuses called Mizuko {me-zoo-koh}, or unborn child, Mizuko-related business is a big industry in Japan. One factor behind the boom is that in Japan, contraceptive pills are approved only recently in September 1999, and as pointed out by Mother Teresa (1910-1997), Japan is an abortionist's paradise. Parents who had to abort
their fetuses make expensive Jizo statuettes for the unlucky children, and
dedicate them to specific temples where memorial
services for Mizuko are regularly held. Some temples are making a lot of money through this
service. For further detail of Jizo concept, refer to En'noji.